CANI Clubfest 2010

This weekend saw the inaugural CANI Clubfest at the Share Centre in Enniskillen - with most clubs in NI meeting up for a weekend of paddling and fun.

We arrived on the Friday night, and after setting up camp and getting dinner myself and Niall headed to the water for a spot of late squirt boating.

The water was weirdly warm- although unfortunately it was about 5inches too shallow, and you hit the bottom just before getting vertical - but it was fun.

Saturday saw all 100+ paddlers make the 5mile paddle from Crom back to the Share Centre. This was done in a variety of boats, mostly sea kayaks and open boats, but a few river runners and even a playboat.

I paddled one of the CANI sea kayaks, and I'm not sure if it was due to lack of padding on the seat, or the alien sitting down position, but I soon suffered from cramp in my legs.
Not to be deterred - I got my hands on a canoe paddle, some knee pads, and I soon had a C1 sea kayak.

This proved to be a great idea, I was more comfortable, ans paddling as fast, if not faster than the same boat being paddled sitting down. Definitely something I need to do properly in the future.

We stopped for lunch just past the halfway point where the canoe paddled was liberated by its rightful owner, so i was back to sitting down.

On Sunday morning each club was to run a taster session of a certain discipline for other people to try. Myself and Niall helped Rodger Hamilton from CANI run a freestyle session. This was a bit tricky due to a shortage of suitable boats, I only had a C1 with me and Niall only had a squirt, but we managed to get suitable boats and fun was had.

It was after these sessions that things descended into chaos. I got my hands on a waveski - which after trying to tailsquirt a few times we tried to fit as many people on it at once as we could. After much trying we discovered 3 people could sit on it for a few seconds before falling in.

The weekend was a great success - roll on next year


Photos courtesy of Navarat Turner and Derek Stephenson

Austria Day 4

Today I get up early to compete. I am the first person to compete and open the competition in the OC-1 class. I am able to borrow a boat from Philippe from Germany, a Robson CU-Fly. I have never paddled one of these before, and was initially a bit nervous and apprehensive, but all the Irish team have turned out to support me. Soon all the nerves go and I drop into the feature. The boat handles very nicely, and luckily is very easy to roll. I am very happy with my run, and whilst I didn't make the cut for the finals, I am now 6th in Europe!

Next up were the junior men. Neil and Daniel don't have great runs, but Eoin Keyes pulled off a big air loop, and all the other moves he had been practising and finished 8th, moving into Fridays semi-final.

Next were the womens pre-lims. Unfortunately none of them made the cut for the semis either.

The final category of the day was the C1. I am in the first heat and I go into it feeling a lot more comfortable following this mornings session. I am very happy with my performance today following how I have been faring all week, finishing in 16th.

Since I didn't make it past prelims, the pressure is now off, so I can work on stuff in the hole for the next few days in between the rest of the competition.

Up tomorrow is the Mens K1.

Austria Day 3

I get up early for a morning session before the nations training starts, but only manage about 10mins before the feature is closed. It wasn't a good session anyway.

Team training is at 11.45, this time i have been lent a better paddle by Adrian, but I'm still not getting on great. Towards the end of the session the paddle snaps just before i enter the hole. Luckily I manage to stop myself going into it with no paddle.

In the evening we headed to the castle for the opening ceremony. This was good fun, and had the youngest junior, Daniel, as our flag bearer. There was a buffet put on and a free bar - maybe not the best idea the night before the competition starts. I have to be up early as I am opening the competition in the OC-1 class at 10am.

Austria Day 2

I sleep in late today - making up for the journey over I suppose.

Free practise today ends at 10.50, so I just take it easy until the scheduled team training at 3.30. I'm really not doing good and I'm getting no moves.

The flow of the river is even stronger today, making a tricky eddy even harder to get into. As I try to stop flushing past it i end up landing on the rocks, where i get the paddle ripped out of my hand as I capsize. By the time I get out of the boat the paddle is probably 20miles down stream. A few of us chase down after it, but there is no sign of it.

My paddling is done for the day and I now have to try and source a paddle as my spare is rubbish.

Austria Day 1

I get on the water at 10:00 for an hour long session. The hole is tricky and will take some time to get used to.

I get on again at 3pm with all the Irish team as we swamp the hole to have a team training session. I finally get a spin in the feature and try a loop - which failed.

Most of the team seem to be getting to grips with the hole which is good.

It starts raining very heavy, so I'm heading to bed for an early night - I need it.

Austria Day 0

Early start in the morning - leave at 4.45am heading to Belfast City Airport. Checkin went fine, no issues or extra charges for boat. Was through security by 5.30 for the 6.50 flight to Gatwick.

The flight was on time and got to Gatwick and checked in fine again with no issues again with the boat. Unfortunately the plane was delayed by 40mins due to an issue with the air-conditioning on the plane.

Finally we get underway and land in Vienna not too far behind schedule. The 32degree heat upon arrival is killing me.

Collect all my baggage and get the short bus to the train station. Just about make the 4.30pm train to make the 6hour journey to Lienz.

Spoil myself with a beer on the train - i need it to cool down

Only 1 transfer of trains, in Villach. I am helped on the the train by someone who turns out to be a former member of the Austria WWR team. I look through some photos he took at a recent race and invite him down to watch the freestyle finals next weekend.

Get to Lienz at 10.30, pitch the tent, and then go off and party with the Austrians and Germans

Leaving for Austria - European Freestyle Championships 2010

Well here it is - after much drama and chaos involving car engines blowing, lack of funds, and last minute refunds of ferry and flights booked the time is almost here.

I fly out of Belfast tomorrow morning to make my way to Lienz in Austria to compete in the European Freestyle Kayak Championships for Ireland. Due to last minute issues requiring me to fly I will only be competing in the C1 category unless I find an OC1 boat out there.

I will try to update the blog as much as possible during my trip so please keep checking back.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the people who have helped me make this journey through extreme generosity.

Philip Turner
Joe Kerr
Claire Feenan
and
Terry Cross of Delta Print & Packaging

Without the kind donations from the above people this trip would not be going ahead.

Thanks to everyone who has wished me luck and see you all on my return.

Video from Shaws Bridge

Check out the video made by Conrad

Shaws Bridge 02-June-2010

After having a week off paddling due to sickness - I headed down to the lovely "clean" lagan at shaws bridge for a play.

I had also just received my new PeakUK Combi shorty cag today which was getting tested. It proved to be as dry as my long sleeved cag - only felt a lot more comfortable. Great piece of kit.

Present were myself, Niall, Conrad, Colin and Johnny. Water levels were low as expected, but the first weir now provides a nice playhole following the recent work involving a digger.

A fun session was had all round with me working on loops, phoneix monkey and space godzilla's.

I am still not quite getting my loop, but after looking at some video footage, and consulting with Niall and Conrad it appears that I have the timing sorted, but im just not tucking hard enough for this feature, however I should be able to get it in a larger feature.

Today the hole was not at a nasty retentive level, but was still good enough to string multiple ends and provide enough pop to work on a space godzilla.

There is a video to come soon, but for now here are a few photos from early in the session.

All pictures taken by Conrad Daly